Hawaii attorney general will appoint investigator to review wildfire response

With the death toll from a recent wildfire in Maui clearing 100, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez has announced that she will appoint an independent party to investigate Honolulu's response to the catastrophe.

"This will be an impartial, independent review," she said. "Having a third-party conduct the review will ensure accountability and transparency and reassure the people of Hawaii that all of the facts will be uncovered."

"We intend to look at this critical incident to facilitate any necessary corrective action and to advance future emergency preparedness," she continued, noting that Democratic Gov. Josh Green had requested the investigation. She further commented that the investigation was like to take months.

The wildfire utterly decimated the town of Lahaina, with footage showing nearly every building burned to the ground. The town's warning sirens did not go off during the fire.

President Joe Biden has announced one-time $700 payments to those affected, though his plans attracted considerable ridicule in light of his past refusal to comment on the wildfires during a vacation.

The cause of the wildfire remains unknown as of press time.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.